Specification and analysis of interactive systems

CS 8113g Spring 1995

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General Course Information

Where and When

Class meets on Tuesday and Thursday from 5:00-6:30 pm in College of Computing, Room 201.

Course Description

Many critical decisions that affect the usability of a system are made at very early design stages. At this point, relatively little commitment to implementation has occurred, so it is very difficult to determine usability impact through more traditional methods of empirical observation. However, a great deal of research has focussed on modelling techniques for interactive systems that are applicable at these early stages of design. This course is intended to provide an overview of these various modeling techniques.

Prerequisites

I assume that students in this class have taken a first course in Human-Computer Interaction, either graduate or undergraduate.

Knowledge and facility with basic discrete mathematics (sets, functions and relations, state machines, propositional logic, predicate logic) will be of benefit in this class. For some, this class might be the first exposure to the area of specification in software engineering, so my main intention here is to demonstrate how seemingly mundane artifacts such as a mathematical specifications can illuminate understanding in a wide variety of interesting and important domains of interactive systems.

Goals

Instructor:

Dr. Gregory Abowd

Electronic information

We will try to make as much use as possible of electronic information exchange. The three major electronic means of exchange will be electronic mail, a class newsgroup and a class World Wide Web (WWW) home page. If you aren't already familiar with these Internet-based tools, now is the time to find out.

Electronic mail

Probably the most dependable way to contact the instructor is by e-mail. Click here to send a message to Dr. Abowd straight from this page. Whenever you send e-mail, please make sure you include your full name on the message, as it is sometimes difficult to decipher student mail addresses.

Newsgroup

The newsgroup for this class is git.cc.class.8113g. Occasionally, this newsgroup will be used by the instructor to make general announcements to the class (typically homework and reading assignments). You should make it a habit to consult the newsgroup on a regular basis. Students can post general class-related announcements to the newsgroup.

WWW

You are currently reading text from the WWW class home page for CS 8113g. There are a variety of ways to access this page using any of a number of WWW browsers (lynx, Mosaic, netscape, etc.). For example, you can traverse links directly from the College of Computing home page (look for the link to "classes using WWW"). Or you can access this page directly by opening the URL (that's WWW-speak for location) http://www.cc.gatech.edu/computing/classes/cs8113g_95_spring.

Other Web locations of interest include:

Recommended textbooks

J. M. Spivey. The Z Notation: A Reference, 2nd edition. Prentice Hall International, 1992. ISBN 0-13-978529-9. Referred to as the Z book on the syllabus.

Dix, Finlay, Abowd & Beale. Human-Computer Interaction, Prentice Hall, 1993. ISBN 0-13-458266-7. Referred to as DFAB on the syllabus.

Other readings

Throughout the quarter, there will be additional readings that will be supplied by the instructor as needed and will be listed here.

Lectures

The intent for this course is to provide as much opportunity for discussion while still providing some traditional lecture material. Each lecture will include time devoted to administrative and technical questions at the beginning of the class. Each class meeting will have an assigned scribe whose duty it will be to provide summary notes on the class that will be attached to the class syllabus.

Grading

Grades will be based on the following weighting scheme: 
Category                  Weight
=======================================================
Scribing                     5%

Homework                    35%

Homework presentation        5%

Student project             25%

Final exam                  25%
    				      
Participation/discretionary  5%

Homework

There will be occasional homework assignments based on material presented in class. Students may choose to work on the homework in groups, but grades will be given on an individual basis. Homework will be graded and returned within one week of the due date. Any questions about grading of homework should be directed to the instructor within one week of return date. Homework can be corrected and turned in for remarking within one week of this return date.

Each student will be required to present the solutions to the homework once during the quarter. This presentation will count toward the final grade.

Exams

There will be one exam this quarter, based on readings and lectures.

Class participation/Attendance

A portion of your grade will be determined by class participation. If you don't attend class, you cannot participate, and your grade will reflect that. I, therefore, expect that each student will attend all lectures.

I want to know who you are, so please make an effort to speak in class and talk to me outside of class. If by the end of the quarter I don't know your name, it won't necessarily be my fault.

Class policies

Students are expected to attend all lectures on time. Students are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner. This expectation includes showing up for exams at the appointed time. Late make-up exams will not be given. Any conflicts with exam times should be brought to the instructor's attention as soon as possible and in all cases PRIOR to the examination period.

Students are expected to follow the university's codes of academic conduct. Cases of suspected academic misconduct will be immediately forwarded to the Dean of Student Affairs, and will be pursued to resolution. This is an unpleasant process for all involved, so please do not put yourself in this situation.

Above all, I would like to adhere to the reasonable person principle.